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16 May 2015

Love Your Enemies – Opening Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

One of the things triggered by recent events has been some
deep thinking on what it means to love one’s enemies. Discussions about the current political
climate lead me to think that many who claim to follow Christ have left behind this
very seminal command.

I work very hard at not collecting enemies in the real
world. I still have a few but I will get
to that later. Our nation has
enemies. So too the Church has
enemies. Some people will hate me just
because I try to follow Christ. Many
will declare themselves my enemy. Does
their declaration make it so?

As I think through this question I wish to begin with the
actual command. These are the words
Jesus spoke about the topic:

Mat 5:43 – 48

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor,
and hate your enemy.' But I tell you this: Love your enemies, and pray for
those who persecute you. In this way you show that you are children of your
Father in heaven. He makes his sun rise on people whether they are good or
evil. He lets rain fall on them whether they are just or unjust.

If you love those who love you, do you deserve a reward?
Even the tax collectors do that! Are you
doing anything remarkable if you welcome only your friends? Everyone does that! That is why you must be perfect as your
Father in heaven is perfect.

There are some serious implications here. I want to consider them as I refine what it
means for me to love my enemies. I must
love them. That is what Christ
commands. I cannot just say that I do
love them. Faith without works is
dead. I must live out loving my enemies

Jesus only uses the word “enemy” four other times throughout
the Gospels. Three of those times are in
the parable of the wheat and tares. The other
time it is in a warning. The only time
Jesus focuses on what we are to do about our enemies is here. He sets his thoughts with those concerning
how to react to violence: “Turn the other cheek.” He couples it with the way we are to respond
to forced labor: “Go a second mile.”

To follow Christ is to do things counter to the visceral reaction
that is natural in us. I need to ponder
this carefully so that I can perfect my obedience to Christ. I must follow this command with my whole
heart. In order to do so I must examine
it wholly. Dear Reader I covet your
thoughts on this as I think some of it will be hard. Also, I enjoy your company along the path.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”